Sunday, June 30, 2013

This photo was taken from the car from the passenger's seat, while stopped at a red light. I had Mark roll down his window.

I thought I was being stealthy but now I think the guy could see me. So much for my career as an undercover agent!

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Apologies for the on-again, and very off-again posting. Life has been busy but not crazy, thank goodness. Things have been really good. Clients are strangely happy, which is an odd and welcomed thing. Ha.

Falling into a little slump with taking photos is to be expected, I suppose. Taking photos means finding something special in the everyday. After a while when experiencing the same 'everyday' (the same commute to work, the same project location), it is a challenge to find those special moments.

Anyway, that is the challenge, and though this post sounds like a complaint, it isn't! I am glad for it. With every challenge, one must dig deeper and get on with it. Bear with me!

Friday, June 21, 2013

Photo by myself around 103rd Street and Lexington, on the Upper East Side.

A fellow was handing out free papers on the street corner, Thursday morning.

The headline can be seen on the paper on the back of his vest - 'Sopranos' Star Dies'. We've been startled by the news of James Gandolfini's sudden passing, while on vacation in Europe. Gandolfini was the star of the hit tv show 'The Sopranos'.

For whatever reason, Gandolfini always struck me as being a nice guy, regardless of the sometimes very violent character he played. My fiance Mark and I saw him once outside a restaurant and kept a respectful distance.

By the way, free papers are often handed out in subway stations or just nearby. This one is called AM New York.

Monday, June 17, 2013

I wish I could say this fellow was presenting me with money, but alas, it was not the case. He was making change for a customer, out of frame.

There are loads of visitors right now in the city, and street food carts on the sidewalks at all hours. This cart sold large pretzels, hot dogs and drinks. In the wintertime, many carts also sell hot chestnuts.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

There is some major renovation work going on on the exterior of the Plaza Hotel, near Central Park South.

The entire east side of the building is covered with an architectural drawing showing what the building should look like. The drawing is printed on a fine mesh, so that people inside the building can still look out their windows.

Behind the drawing must be a whole wall of scaffolding, keeping the mesh in place. The Plaza Hotel is part hotel, part condominiums.

I think people who live there full time have use of room service too, so they can be pampered year-round. There are separate entrances for guests and residents. The hotel entrance is on this side.

I took this photo while passing by in a cab. (Just tell a cab driver to go to 'the Plaza', and they'll know what you mean.)

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Protesters occupied the steps of the main branch of the public library, Monday night. People held signs and handed out flyers to passersby.

The story I got from the protesters was that budget cuts will mean that some library branches will be eliminated.

Budget cuts also mean job losses, fewer books available for researchers and fewer library branches. At the same time, the buildings that once housed libraries would be available for developers. Developers mean tax money and future hotels or high-end real estate.

Ah yes, it's all about money.

There are many are very happy that New York withstood the recession for the most part. But there are also those who look around at the huge stores and very expensive apartments and long for 'Old New York', a city that was shabbier around the edges but that was filled with unique nooks and crannies.

For more about the libraries from the protesters point of view, visit their Save NYC Libraries website, here.

About Me

Welcome to my photo blog. I'm an architect and I live in Brooklyn. I post about New York life, my fiance Mark, his car Clive and our dog.
I take photos daily on a Canon 40D and Leica dLux-5.
Email me if you would like to purchase a print or if you just want to chat. I love to hear from people:
kittylittered @ gmail.com